Following a chaotic, divisive first week, President Trump is set to announce his pick for the Supreme Court tonight. Not one for tradition, the White House will broadcast the nomination on Facebook Live, starting at 8 p.m. Eastern.
The choice to announce during a primetime TV time slot is unusual, but not entirely surprising given Trump’s personal and professional interest in television ratings. By moving up the news, which was expected later this week, and attracting a more mainstream, less wonky viewership, the Trump administration likely seeks to divert attention away from the heated national conversation prompted by last week’s contentious immigration order.
While the nominee remains a mystery, CNN reports that frontrunners Neil Gorsuch and Thomas Hardiman have both been brought to Washington ahead of the live event.
Making use of social video platforms isn’t a White House first by any means, but courting a wide audience on a platform like Facebook Live to create drama around a Supreme Court nominee feels decidedly more like a reality show than watching the State of the Union on YouTube. Unfortunately for the White House, the process of getting that nominee confirmed won’t make for very good viewing.